How did you start your career in the rail industry?
I came straight from university in 1977 and joined the Research Division of British Rail working on R&D in the field of track maintenance and renewal aligned to the APT project. I set myself a two-year deadline to find a more interesting career, now 48 years ago. 

Tell us a little about your career experiences to date
My career has had many facets. Two significant achievements were developing stoneblowing from a research idea into one that could be applied by a machine and then being part of the team to make the machines mainstream and developing the process of line speed handback from a theoretical base into a robust process. On this latter project, I was told by the (then) Civil Engineers’ Committee that my idea was like something from Alice in Wonderland, and complete nonsense. I also headed up the Soil Mechanics group and finally headed masonry arch structure research. Ahead of privatisation, I saw a niche for using personal computers in Permanent Way work (at the time, there were no PCs on the railway) and set up my own business, Laser Rail, to produce track design software and measuring systems. However, it was the gauging tools that really took off, enabling huge opportunities for delivering upgrade projects, like CTRL, containerised freight and tilting trains without wholesale rebuilding of the network. Having developed ‘ClearRoute’ I did a PhD into gauging and subsequently set up D/Gauge to develop next-generation technology into the Rift and Flow tools that we now produce which use the very latest algorithms on a cloud computing platform. 

What does an average day look like for you? 
My average day involves writing new software algorithms, dealing with software issues as they arise and providing input to our engineering teams. I do preparatory work for the V/S SIC, which I chair, and for groups such as the Technical Leadership Group. I write standards, give lectures at Southampton University and do research into new technologies. I have numerous extra-curricular activities, including the Worshipful Company of Engineers, the Smeatonians Society (of which I am Honorary Treasurer) and the Royal Academy of Engineering (of which I am a Fellow). No day is quiet, and I am unable to contemplate retirement.  

Why did you want to present in a PWI technical seminar? 
I am keen to give something back to the industry that has served me well, and these seminars provide that opportunity. 

What’s the best bit of advice you have for someone looking to work in the rail industry?
Recognise that although rail seems a simple technology, the more you understand it, the more complex the problems become and the more challenging it is to find solutions. 

What are some of the biggest challenges of your current role?
Getting innovation into practice is considerably more challenging than in the days of a vertically integrated BR. Back then, risk was not commercialised. Today, everyone is trying to mitigate the potential commercial cost of failure, even if the probability of such is extremely low. At present, the lethargy of the industry to move from 1980’s gauging tools to current generation technology is extremely frustrating, since the amount of space than we could now release would really make a difference to hard-pressed finances. But people prefer to stick with familiar tools. 

What do you enjoy most about your current role?
 I enjoy seeing the direct impact of many of the ideas that I have seen develop into tangible benefits for our industry and enjoy the challenge of some of the newer technologies that I am working on. I also really enjoy working with young, enthusiastic engineers. 

Thank you, David, for generously sharing your time and expertise. We’re excited to welcome you to the Electrification Seminar and look forward to your valuable contributions to the panel discussion.